This application claims the priority of German patent application 198 41 747, filed Sep. 11, 1998, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to a motorcycle covering having a device for influencing a water flow which guides rain water taken along by an air flow on an outer surface of the motorcycle covering, so that this rain water, after its detachment from the motorcycle covering, does not hit a driver and/or passenger.
German Patent Document DE 26 24 851 describes a motorcycle covering which, among other things, has an edge bead on the edges facing the driver, which edge bead is rounded and pulled toward the outside. The edge bead changes in its cross-section approximately tangentially into the interior surface of the covering. It influences the air flowing over the outer surface of the covering, in the event of its detachment from the edge of the covering, such that rain water taken along by the air flow from the outer surface does not hit the driver.
The construction of such an edge bead is not possible in the case of every covering part. On the one hand, it may have an aerodynamically disadvantageous effect; on the other hand, requirements with respect to the appearance of the motorcycle may stand in the way of constructing an edge bead at some points of the covering.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide another and different device for influencing a water flow which guides rain water taken along by an air flow on an outer surface of a motorcycle covering, so that this rain water, after its detachment from the motorcycle covering, does not hit a driver and/or passenger.
According to the invention, this object is achieved by providing an arrangement of the above mentioned type, wherein a motorcycle covering has a device for influencing a water flow which guides rain water taken along by an air flow on an outer surface of the motorcycle covering, so that this rain water, after its detachment from the motorcycle covering, does not hit a driver and/or passenger, wherein at least one partial surface of the motorcycle covering is provided with at least one rib respectively which projects toward the outside and which, viewed in a direction of a longitudinal axis of a motorcycle, guides water from a front toward a rear and, viewed in a direction of a transverse axis of the motorcycle, guides water from the inside to the outside such that, after its detachment from the motorcycle covering, the water moves at least past partial regions of the driver and/or of the passenger.
According to preferred embodiments of the invention, at least a partial surface of a motorcycle covering is provided with at least one rib respectively which projects toward the outside and which, viewed in the direction of a longitudinal axis of a motorcycle, guides water from the front toward the rear and, viewed in the direction of a transverse axis of the motorcycle, guides water from the inside to the outside such that, after its detachment from the motorcycle covering, it moves at least past partial regions of the driver and/or of the passenger.
A rib projecting toward the outside on the motorcycle covering has the advantage that it can not only be mounted on the edge of the covering but at any point at which it is necessary to guide rain water taken along by an air flow on the outer surface of the motorcycle covering in such a manner that, after its detachment from the motorcycle covering, it moves at least past partial regions of the driver and/or of the passenger. Ribs which can be mounted at any necessary point of the motorcycle covering have the additional advantage that they can be shaped to match the appearance of the motorcycle.
Additional advantageous features of preferred embodiments of the invention include provisions of one rib on partial surfaces of the motorcycle covering which extend essentially horizontally and/or whose surface points essentially downward.
Particularly in the case of horizontally extending surfaces of the motorcycle covering, much water accumulates in rainy weather, to which splashing water is added which is then thrown at downwardly directed surfaces. A rib which, viewed in the direction of a longitudinal axis of the motorcycle, extends from the front toward the rear and, viewed in direction of a transverse axis of the motorcycle, extends from the inside to the outside according to certain preferred embodiments of the invention, is therefore very advantageous for deflecting water, specifically in the lower area of a horizontally extending covering part.
In the case of some motorcycle coverings of newer models, so-called buffer protecting strips are mounted. These strips cover a roll bar which extends, for example, on the right and on the left, toward the side, and therefore include the roll bar in the structure of the motorcycle covering. In order to generate a low drag, these buffer protecting strips partially have essentially horizontally extending surfaces which protrude in front of the driver to the side out of the contour course of additional motorcycle covering parts. If ribs are situated on this buffer protecting strip, on the bottom on an essentially horizontally extending surface, according to certain preferred embodiments of the invention, this has the advantage that they keep an area in front of the driver, where a lot of splashing water may occur, free of water. Advantageously, the number of ribs is dimensioned according to the amount of splashing water and also their slope. In the case of ribs extending from the front interior to the rear exterior, this slope can then form an angle with respect to a longitudinal vehicle axis, which amounts to between 10 degrees and 80 degrees.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.